This Italian Lemon Barley soup will transport you immediately to Tuscany. It’s perfectly balanced with the brightness of the lemon, earthiness of the rosemary, and heartiness of the barley. So, dive into your new favorite go-to!
The best part of this one pot meal is the simplicity of the ingredients and the fact that it is so easy to make. After all, when you’re in the middle of a tough week at work and nothing seems to be going right, you still deserve to have a delicious homemade meal without a ton of hassle. Am I right? This soup is the perfect way to have exactly that; all ease and zero struggle.
Just because this recipe is easy to make, doesn't mean that it's lacking in taste, because, flavor is everything. The lemon and rosemary are both strong flavors. You'll find a bright citrus essence from the lemon and an almost pine like earthiness from the rosemary, and they compliment each other perfectly. Add the acidity and slight smokiness of the fire roasted tomatoes and you'll agree that the base of the broth is purely divine.
But that's not where the flavor of the broth ends. There are also Italian spices, a touch of sea salt, and a little bit of black pepper to add some heat to the soup.
WHY VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP IS A HEALTHY FOOD CHOICE
Ok, so now that we've convinced you that the broth in this soup is delicious and that the soup is easy to make, let's talk about why it's a healthy choice for a quick meal.
Just because this soup is simple, does not mean that it’s deprived of nutrients. To start off this nutrition info sesh, let’s chat about its main ingredient: Barley.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BARLEY
Say sayonara to the days of having to have dairy to build strong bones. Barley is taking dairy's place and it's here to stay. This ancient grain has iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and… drum roll please… CALCIUM! All these ingredients combine together to help our bodies build strong bones without all the negative side effects of animal-derived-dairy. Plus, it really is a delicious tender grain that pairs well with basically any dish!
Still not convinced that this soup should be at the top of the food pyramid? Then let’s keep going down the list of ingredients.
WHY YOU SHOULD EAT MORE CELERY
CARROTS SHOULD BE A DAILY FOOD CHOICE
Carrots are very high in antioxidants. And, they're good for your vision.
TOMATOES ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF LYCOPENE
Oh, and tomatoes are a fantastic source of lycopene!
There are also chickpeas for protein and mushrooms, which are turning to be another super food. Who knew?
So, when you add the lemon and rosemary broth to the barley, celery, carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas and fire roasted tomatoes, you get a bowl of super foods that not only taste amazing together, they'll satisfy you and help your body stay as strong and well as it can be.
So scroll down and write those ingredients on your next grocery list so you can make this incredible, easy, and healthy soup!
Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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Italian Lemon Rosemary Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dry Barley
- 3 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 14.5 ounce Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
- 15.5 ounce Garbanzo Beans
- 3 Medium Carrots peeled and diced
- 3 Stalks Celery
- 1 Large White Onion Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Cup Diced Baby Bella Mushrooms
- 3 Sprigs Rosemary
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt more or less depending on your tastes
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot on medium-high heat.
- Once heated add 1 tbsp of veggie broth and the onions.
- Sauté the onions until they become translucent, approximately 7 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic with another tbsp of vegetable broth. Stir and cook until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
- Continue adding veggie broth in 1 tbsp increments while sautéing the vegetables so they don't stick to the pan.
- Add the garbanzo beans, barley, rosemary, Italian seasoning, crushed tomatoes and the rest of the vegetable broth to the stock pot.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then quickly reduce to a simmer.
- Cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until the barley is done. It should be firm and chewy, not mushy.
- Add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Remove the rosemary from the stock pot and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This looks wonderful, I love barely soup but have not had in ages. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! It's an underrated grain.
Claudia Van Bogaert says
The soup looks delicious!
What type of barley did you use? Hulled or pearl?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Claudia! Thank you for asking. We used Italian pearl barley.
Claudia Van Bogaert says
Thank you!
Linda Meyer says
Of course, my pleasure!
Brittany Roche says
It's so hard for me to get excited about warm soup in summer, but this recipe has totally changed my mind on that. It SCREAMS summer! I can so see us enjoying this at the beach for Sunday dinner this year; can't wait to try it!
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hi Brittany! Your comment actually made me laugh because a dear friend of mine feels the exact way you do about soup during the Summer! She's actually gone so far as to tell waiters that I'm not allowed to order soup haha. I'm so glad this recipe has changed your mind though!
Molly says
This recipe is incredible! A few basic ingredients came together into something transcendent and we couldn't stop eating it. I cooked it for 16 minutes in the Instant Pot, then let the pressure release naturally and the barley was just the right texture, as were the vegetables. I'm planning to make another batch very soon and stash some in the freezer.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Molly!! We're so happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says
Reminds me of Tuscany just looking through all the mouthwatering photos of this soup! Such a perfect lunch or dinner for any time of the year.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tania! Thank you! Yes, you're right, it does remind me of Tuscany. We were there last year and lemon and rosemary were used often in the food.
Dreena Burton says
Oh, I love, love lemon in soups. It brightens the flavors so much. I don't use barley nearly enough! You've reminded me to break it out soon!
Linda Meyer says
Lemon is the best! We use it in so many recipes. Happy to remind you, Dreena. Enjoy!
Valerie Z says
This looks so delicious! It's the type of recipe that I could see myself making a big batch of and freezing some for those nights I dont want to cook.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Valerie! This is perfect for freezing.
Jasmin | VeeatCookBake says
I love barley soup. This one is an awesome version.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Jasmin!
Stephanie L Cafasso says
This recipe has exactly the flavors I looooove! Making this!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Stephanie! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 🙂
Rebecca says
This was great! Mine didn’t have much liquid left at the end of cooking so I’d probably add an extra cup of stock next time, but this recipe tastes so good. I think the best part is it tastes HEALTHY. After eating it I didn’t feel stuffed or tired, I felt energized. Thanks!
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hey Rebecca,
Thanks for the comment! I've noticed too that sometimes due to varying cooking envirnoments, the barley wants to soak up a lot more of the broth than normal. Adding an extra cup of stock should do the trick, but just remember to adjust your seasoning too due to the extra liquid : ) We're so happy you enjoyed the soup and love that it makes you feel just as good as it makes us feel! Have an awesome week!
- Alex & Linda
Brenda says
Made this tonight and yum! Bonus, now I know where barley is at the supermarket. I used 4 cups of broth and it was still super thick, next time I think I'll do 6 to make it more soup-like.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Brenda, thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that you liked our recipe. We're so happy you enjoyed it. 🙂